That was the best start of Danks' young career. The Sox offense is struggling, and the pennant race is tight. He needed a shutdown performance, and he delivered. Tremendous performance under pressure.

kingpin_rcs

09-21-2008, 04:42 PM

Very important game. Great win. Time for the big showdown.

SBSoxFan

09-21-2008, 04:45 PM

Alright. Rest up, get ready for the final sprint starting Tuesday!

Minnesota finished their 30 game stretch with 9-15 on the road and 3-3 at home.

doublem23

09-21-2008, 04:45 PM

:moonwalk: :moonwalk: :moonwalk: :moonwalk: :moonwalk:

October26

09-21-2008, 04:46 PM

Sox win! Sox win! :bandance: Very happy about this win - we needed it. Enjoy the day off on Monday and come ready to play at the Metrodome on Tuesday. Go Sox!

RealFan

09-21-2008, 04:46 PM

I don't know if I'm just plain lucky or unlucky, but I have to get on a plane on Tue early evening to head out of the country and I don't return until Friday evening. So I will miss the whole Sox/Twins series and I think my fingernails are the clear winner this week.

I'm OK with watching the Sox in the playoffs. It's the getting there that I can hardly take.

GO SOX!!!:smile:

Adele_H

09-21-2008, 04:47 PM

At least someone on the Sox can perform on the Road. Danks +3

Konerko, Thornton, Jenks, Wise baserunning +1

Too bad Tampa mailed it in. Longoria giveth, Longoria taketh away.

chisoxjtrain

09-21-2008, 04:47 PM

Alright!!! Who gives a damn about the Bears when the Sox are still kicking some ass!
5

Tragg

09-21-2008, 04:50 PM

That was the best start of Danks' young career. The Sox offense is struggling, and the pennant race is tight. He needed a shutdown performance, and he delivered. Tremendous performance under pressure.Absolutely

Frankfan4life

09-21-2008, 04:52 PM

Danks was masterful!!! We needed a great pitching performance today and he was up to the task. Great hustling by Wise gave us the only run we would need, Paulie added some very comforting insurance runs and Thornton and Jenks nailed it down with ease.

We also get to take one more digit off the magic number and get one day to rest up for the defining series starting Tuesday. :D:

tstrike2000

09-21-2008, 04:57 PM

Now we can officially sit back, relax, and strap it down for White Sox baseball...and get some alcohol while we're at it, too.

alohafri

09-21-2008, 05:00 PM

I'm with Melton...go for the sweep and clinch on Thursday.

WhiteSoxOnly

09-21-2008, 05:01 PM

As long as we win 1 in the Dump, we'll be fine.

Jump on 'em Tuesday and take command right away.
Don't give them the slightest bit of mo.

Danks pitched very well on six days' rest. The starters will be going on regular rest from here on out (save for a makeup and playoff scenario). Danks wasn't overextended today. I expect him to be strong against the Indians on Friday. Certainly, 13 straight scoreless innings in two starts for a pitcher who people here speculated was done a couple of weeks ago would be considered great White Sox news.

The bullpen is so much better when starters have a lead after seven. The bullpen seems to be returning to form. In addition to Jenks and Thornton, who were untouched today, Dotel and Linebrink seem to be coming back to form. Richard has looked good in a couple of relief appearances, and, though his warmup routine differs when he starts, he has generally looked good early in his starts. Along with Carrasco, I think the Sox bullpen is in good shape and the starters are in good shape, especially for a team in a dogfight to make the postseason.

The Sox won two of three in Kansas City after the Twin beat the Royals two out of three in the Metrodome. Between playing hte Twins and Sox, the Royals won seven of eight. No matter what happens in the Metrodome Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, I hope they win their last six games.

JB98

09-21-2008, 05:03 PM

I'm with Melton...go for the sweep and clinch on Thursday.

Yes. I would like to see the Sox adopt the mentality that this is the chance to deliver the knockout blow, as opposed to merely trying to hang on.

Zisk77

09-21-2008, 05:06 PM

Just win the series sox. effing Bears:angry:. Wise makes me :).

chisoxfanatic

09-21-2008, 05:10 PM

Let's just take the series in Minnesota. I was wanting to clinch in the Baggie Dome; but, I'll take leaving that place with a magic number of 1.

Bring us to Soxtober, Sox!

Sockinchisox

09-21-2008, 05:14 PM

By the way, keep Wise hitting 2nd.

KyWhiSoxFan

09-21-2008, 05:24 PM

Danks pitched well. He has made so much progress this year it's scary. Now, for next year, he needs to develop the stamina to go deeper into games. At that point, he's the ace of the staff.

guillensdisciple

09-21-2008, 05:26 PM

Danks pitched well. He has made so much progress this year it's scary. Now, for next year, he needs to develop the stamina to go deeper into games. At that point, he's the ace of the staff.

You are right, him and Floyd are absolute monsters and I am just waiting to see how their careers progress.

chisoxfanatic

09-21-2008, 05:27 PM

Danks pitched well. He has made so much progress this year it's scary. Now, for next year, he needs to develop the stamina to go deeper into games. At that point, he's the ace of the staff.
Without a question, without Floyd and Danks, this team is nowhere near where they are.

KyWhiSoxFan

09-21-2008, 05:53 PM

Jump on 'em Tuesday and take command right away.
Don't give them the slightest bit of mo.

That's for sure. You pull for the sweep in Minnesota, if they can do it. Close it out as soon as they can. You don't want to let it go any longer than necessary, especially to get your rotation set for the playoffs. If they sweep the Twins, they would not have to win any of the games against the Indians and could just use Broadway and others to get through the series, giving your playoff starters a couple innings to stay sharp but not overextended.

Lip Man 1

09-21-2008, 06:55 PM

Tremendous performance by Danks. You had to figure the Rays would be hung over today so this was a must win game by the Sox and they pulled it off.

Going into Minnesota this does put some pressure on the Twins, they have to sweep now to regain the lead and time is running out.

And kudos to Wise for his aggressive baserunning play. Like Ozzie said in the postgame "speed never goes into a slump."

Truer words were never spoken.

(Can't wait for Figgins and Hudson next season to finally reshape this club!)

Lip

Foulke You

09-21-2008, 07:10 PM

Awesome performance from Danks today. Jenks looked strong too. Did anyone notice Bobby was hitting 96-97mph on the gun today? Think he was a bit geeked up for this save? Haven't seen that velocity from him since '05 (not that it has hurt his performance).

Man was I sweating until Paulie's HR sailed over the fence. I hope I can survive the "Sox Battle Fatigue" this week.:D:

SoxSpeed22

09-21-2008, 07:18 PM

Danks had some ugly at bats early, but really put together a great outing. Wise set the tone with great baserunning, even though it should have been a double in the first place. Now we have a 2.5 game lead to go into Minnesota, so that puts the pressure on them to deliver. Overall, good series in KC.
Also, Lip, who do you mean by Hudson?

Zisk77

09-21-2008, 08:37 PM

At the beginning of the season I was happy for the fact that kenny went for it. I thought the window was closing and that this year was the last chance for an aging team. I didn't think the twinks had enough pitching to stay in it but i thought they were building the best team for the future. However, Danks, Floyd, Quentin, Swisher (yes, still him) and Alexei make me optimistic for the future.

sullythered

09-22-2008, 02:55 AM

John Danks and Gavin Floyd have changed my whole perspective on the Sox' future.

Law11

09-25-2008, 09:17 AM

As long as we win 1 in the Dump, we'll be fine.

Tonight needs to be that 1.
Interesting to go back and look at how positive we were going into this series.

Now.. :shocked:

oeo

09-25-2008, 09:18 AM

Tonight needs to be that 1.
Interesting to go back and look at how positive we were going into this series.

Now.. :shocked:

And so goes every series on WSI...

At least when we're coming off a victory, everyone is extremely optimistic. If we're coming off of a defeat, everyone is extremely pessimistic.